MURRAY — When Guitar Czar took to social media on Monday to announce its closure after more than 30 years — citing tariffs and a slow economy — its comment section was filled with people offering words of support and encouragement for the business.
Some even recounted buying their first guitar at the shop. Now, past and present customers will have to hold onto their memories, as Guitar Czar plans to close its doors one last time next weekend.
Kameron Anton, general manager at the store, said they’re not only feeling the pinch from the tariffs but also from a consumer’s reluctance to spend and a shift to online shopping.
“It’s a big loss to the music community,” said Anton, who commended the camaraderie among other Utah music shops. ” All the independent music stores in the valley have made it a good point to not step on each other’s toes and carry brands that another one does. That’s always been a really cool hallmark of the Salt Lake Valley.”
Jacob Brown tries out a guitar at Guitar Czar in Millcreek Township, Friday, Oct. 12, 2012. The store has announced its closure for next weekend due to tariffs and a slow economy. (Photo: Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News)
Anton said, in recent months, people still come in to have repairs done to their instruments and the company’s instructors are still teaching lessons, but sales have significantly dipped.
“We probably are down 30% or 40%,” he told KSL.com on Tuesday. “And I know that all of the other music retailers in the valley, and I would probably assume the state has felt the exact same way.”
He said September was one of the store’s slowest months for sales in its 32 years in business.
Anton said that tariffs have led to significant price increases from manufacturers, making guitars more expensive.
“In the grand scheme of things, I don’t necessarily think that the market couldn’t support that,” he said. “I mean, you know, a guitar going up 30% is not like the biggest deal ever. It sucks, but not the biggest deal ever. I think the trends that we were kind of seeing and that I was noticing is just that people didn’t want to spend money.”
Anton believes music and instrument retail consumer spending has slowed due to rising costs of basic necessities and fears of rising health care costs.
“Bread is expensive, eggs are expensive, rent is expensive, insurance is expensive. So at the end of the day, things are expensive,” he said.
Anton said the current economic situation is very different from 2020, when more people were looking to try new hobbies, such as music, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We saw a huge, huge boom in business during that time, because everyone wanted to stay home,” he said.
Supporting small businesses
Fast forward five years, though most people have returned to pre-pandemic routines, small businesses still rely on local consumers to keep operations afloat.
However, small business owners are feeling the brunt of rising tariffs.
According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 97% of the country’s importers are small businesses, so as the costs of imports rise, many endure steep costs that threaten the survival of their operations.
Factoring that in with competition among other small businesses, major retailers and online vendors, Anton said it gets difficult to compete.
However, he believes interaction with knowledgeable staff makes a difference as seasoned and aspiring musicians are seeking new instruments.
“From the brick-and-mortar music store standpoint, having experienced staff that is not there to just pressure you into sales, like a lot of the big box stores; they can help you find that right tool for the thing that you’re trying to do — the right paint brush to make your art,” he described.
As Guitar Czar strings its final notes, Anton hopes the local community will continue to support other local and independent music stores across the Wasatch Front.
“Check your local spots, see if they’ve got something, or see if they can recommend something that’s equivalent or something,” he said. “Be open to maybe trying something new or different, just the industry needs everyone’s support.”
Anton said it’s possible Guitar Czar may still exist in some form, but he didn’t explain what that may entail.
For now, Guitar Czar’s final day open at 5979 S. State Street in Murray is Saturday, Oct. 25. Store management says remaining gear in the store will be “heavily discounted” and must go.
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